Over the last few years, people renting the Yoakum-based Hochheim Prairie Lodge, also known as Turner Hall, have brought their own water or used water purchased from H-E-B provided by the hall, Order of Sons Hermann president Janet Zabransky said.

"No one is drinking that water," Zabransky said. "Say for instance when we have a wedding there, well, they bring their own water. It's really not a problem. We're trying to work with these environmental people as much as we can."

The hall association is working with the state environmental agency to lower the amount of nitrate in the hall's water, which will likely include buying a new filtration system, Zabransky said.

Levels of nitrate in drinking water exceeding those set by the EPA can cause health problems, according to the agency. Nitrates most often enter drinking water sources through runoff from fertilizer use, leaking from septic tanks or sewage; and erosion of natural deposits, according to the EPA.

To date, Hochheim Prairie Hermann Sons Hall Association has hired an engineering firm and completed a study identifying what needs to be done to come into compliance with agency nitrate standards, TCEQ spokeswoman Andrea Morrow wrote in an email Wednesday.

"As a little girl, I drank the water at Turner Hall. Forever, you could say. This is just something that popped up and we're having to deal with it," Zabransky said.

The group must continue to submit progress reports while it takes steps to reduce nitrate levels and, within 1,095 days, it must comply with the agency's nitrate standards.